Les Quarante-cinq. English

by Alexandre Dumas

  CHAPTER XXXIX.

  THE SEVEN SINS OF MAGDALENE.

  The king, however, on seeing his horses, did not wish to be alone in thecarriage, but desired D'Epernon to sit by him. De Loignac and St. Malinerode on each side, and an outrider in front. The king was, as usual,surrounded by dogs, and there was also a table in the carriage, coveredwith illuminated pictures, which the king cut out with wonderful skill,in spite of the movement of the carriage. He was just then occupied withthe life of Magdalene, the sinner. The different pictures were labeled"Magdalene gives way to the sin of anger"--"Magdalene gives way to thesin of gluttony," and so on through the seven cardinal sins. The onethat the king was occupied with, as they passed through the Porte St.Antoine, represented Magdalene giving way to anger.

  The beautiful sinner, half-lying on cushions, and with no other coveringthan the magnificent hair with which she was afterward to wipe the feetof Jesus, was having a slave, who had broken a precious vase, throwninto a pond filled with lampreys, whose eager heads were protruding fromthe water: while on the other side, a woman, even less dressed than hermistress, as her hair was bound up, was being flogged, because she had,while dressing her mistress's head, pulled out some of those magnificenthairs, whose profusion might have rendered her more indulgent to such afault. In the background were visible some dogs being whipped for havingallowed beggars to pass quietly, and some cocks being murdered forhaving crowed too loudly in the morning.

  On arriving at the Croix-Faubin, the king had finished this figure, andwas passing to "Magdalene giving way to the sin of gluttony."

  This represented a beautiful woman lying on one of those beds of purpleand gold on which the ancients used to take their repasts; all that theRomans had most recherche in meat, in fish, and in fruit, dormice inhoney, red mullets, lobsters from Stromboli, and pomegranates fromSicily, ornamented the table, while on the ground some dogs weredisputing for a pheasant, while the air was full of birds, which hadcarried off from the table, figs, strawberries, and cherries. Magdaleneheld in her hand, filled with white liquor, one of thosesingularly-shaped glasses which Petronius has described in his feasts.

  Fully occupied with this important work, the king merely raised his eyesas they passed by the convent of the Jacobins, from which vespers wassounding on every bell, and of which every window and door was closed.

  But a hundred steps further on, an attentive observer would have seenhim throw a more curious glance on a fine-looking house on his left,which, built in the midst of a charming garden, opened on the road. Thishouse was called Bel-Esbat, and, unlike the convent, had every windowopen with the exception of one, before which hung a blind. As the kingpassed, this blind moved perceptibly; Henri smiled at D'Epernon, andthen fell to work on another picture. This was the sin of luxury. Theartist had represented this in such glowing colors, and had painted thesin with so much courage and minuteness, that we can only describe asmall part of it, viz.:--that Magdalene's guardian angel was flying backto heaven affrighted, and hiding his face in his hands. All thisoccupied the king so much, that he never noticed an image of vanity whorode by his carriage. It was a pity; for St. Maline was very happy andproud on his horse, as he rode so near that he could hear the king sayto his dog, "Gently, M. Love, you get in my way;" or to M. le Ducd'Epernon, "Duke, I believe these horses will break my neck." From timeto time, however, St. Maline glanced at De Loignac, who was too muchaccustomed to these honors not to be indifferent to them; and he couldnot but feel the superiority of his calm and modest demeanor, and evenwould try to imitate, for a few minutes, until the thought would recuragain, "I am seen and looked at, and people say, 'Who is that happygentleman who accompanies the king?'" St. Maline's happiness seemedlikely to last for a long time, for the horses, covered with harnessheavy with gold and embroidery, and imprisoned in shafts like those ofDavid's ark, did not advance rapidly. But as he was growing too proud,something peculiarly annoying to him came to temper it down; he heardthe king pronounce the name of Ernanton, and not once, but two or threetimes. St. Maline strained his attention to hear more, but some noise ormovement always prevented him. Either the king uttered some exclamationof regret at an unlucky cut of the scissors, or one of the dogs began tobark. So that between Paris and Vincennes, the name of Ernanton had beenpronounced six times by the king, and four times by D'Epernon, withoutSt. Maline's knowing the reason. He persuaded himself that the king wasmerely inquiring the cause of Ernanton's disappearance, and thatD'Epernon was explaining it. At last they arrived at Vincennes, and asthe king had still three sins to cut out, he went at once to his ownroom to finish them. It was a bitterly cold day, therefore St. Malinesat down in a chimney corner to warm himself, and was nearly fallingasleep, when De Loignac put his hand on his shoulder.

  "You must work to-day," said he; "you shall sleep some other day; so getup, M. de St. Maline."

  "I will not sleep for a fortnight, if necessary, monsieur."

  "Oh! we shall not be so exacting as that."--"What must I do, monsieur?"

  "Get on your horse and return to Paris."

  "I am ready; my horse is standing saddled."

  "Good; go then straight to the room of the Forty-five, and awaken everyone; but excepting three, whom I will name to you, no one must knowwhere he is going, nor what he is about to do."

  "I will obey these instructions implicitly."

  "Here then are some more; leave fourteen of these gentlemen at the PorteSt. Antoine, fifteen others half way, and bring the rest here."

  "Yes, monsieur; but at what hour must we leave Paris?"

  "When night falls."

  "On horseback or on foot?"

  "On horseback."

  "Armed?"

  "Fully; with daggers, pistols, and swords."

  "With armor?"

  "Yes."

  "What else?"

  "Here are three letters; one for M. de Chalabre, one for M. de Biron,and one for yourself. M. de Chalabre will command the first party, M. deBiron the second, and yourself the third."

  "Good, monsieur."

  "These letters are only to be opened at six o'clock. M. de Chalabre willopen his at the Porte St. Antoine, M. de Biron his at the Croix Faubin,and you yours on your return."

  "Must we come quickly?"

  "As quickly as possible, without creating suspicion. Let each troop comeout of Paris by a different gate; M. de Chalabre by the Porte Bourdelle;M. de Biron by the Porte du Temple, and you through the Porte St.Antoine. All other instructions are in the letters. Go quickly from hereto the Croix Faubin, but then slowly; you have still two hours beforedark, which is more than necessary. Now do you well understand yourorders?"

  "Perfectly, monsieur."

  "Fourteen in the first troop, fifteen in the second, and fifteen in thethird; it is evident they do not count Ernanton, and that he no longerforms part of the Forty-five," said St. Maline to himself when DeLoignac was gone.

  He fulfilled all his directions punctually. When he arrived among theForty-five, the greater number of them were already preparing for theirsupper. Thus the noble Lardille de Chavantrade had prepared a dish ofmutton stewed with carrots and spices, after the method of Gascony, towhich Militor had occasionally aided by trying the pieces of meat andvegetable with a fork.

  Pertinax de Montcrabeau, and the singular servant who spoke to him sofamiliarly, were preparing supper for themselves and six companions,who had each contributed six sous toward it; each one, in fact, wasdisposing according to his fancy of the money of his majesty Henri III.One might judge of the character of each man by the aspect of his littlelodging. Some loved flowers, and displayed on their window-sills somefading rose or geranium; others had, like the king, a taste forpictures; others had introduced a niece or housekeeper; and M. d'Epernonhad told M. de Loignac privately to shut his eyes on these things. Ateight o'clock in winter, and ten in summer, they went to bed; but alwaysleaving fifteen on guard. As, however, it was but half-past five whenSt. Maline entered, he found every one about, and, as we said,gastronomically i
nclined. But with one word he put an end to all this:"To horse, gentlemen," said he; and leaving them without another word,went to explain his orders to MM. de Biron and Chalabre. Some, whilebuckling on their belts and grasping their cuirasses, ate greatmouthfuls, washed down by a draught of wine; and others, whose supperwas less advanced, armed themselves with resignation. They called overthe names, and only forty-four, including St. Maline, answered.

  "M. Ernanton de Carmainges is missing," said De Chalabre, whose turn itwas to exercise these functions. A profound joy filled the heart of St.Maline, and a smile played on his lips, a rare thing with this somberand envious man.

  The forty-four therefore set off on their different routes.